He may be in charge of a new club but Des Hasler looks intent to continue his long-running feud with the NRL.
No stranger to a run-in or two with the league authorities during his tenure at Manly, the Canterbury boss again displayed his ire at the NRL on Wednesday, this time over the judiciary process.
Hasler is fuming his star back-rower Frank Pritchard was charged with a careless high tackle for his hit on Penrith's David Simmons in round one - and subsequently suspended – while a similar tackle by the Warriors' Manu Vatuvei went unpunished over the weekend.
The two-time premiership-winning coach still feels the NRL judiciary got it wrong in charging Pritchard for what Hasler feels was a "perfectly legitimate" tackle and he won't be telling his forward enforcer to change his tackling technique.
But Hasler went on the front foot to declare he will be seeking a clarification from the NRL for what he says is a clear inconsistency in the system.
"This is not about individuals, it's not about clubs, it's not about players...it's about the consistency, it's about the language and the confusion and the precedent that it's set," Hasler told reporters on Wednesday.
"If you look at the tackle involving Manu (Vatuvei) they said the Parramatta winger slipped and it was the winger's fault, he was the one that was careless."
"The week before David Simmons stepped off his right foot, led with his head or his chin which caught Franky's shoulder and it was Frank's fault, he should have shown more care."
"So it doesn’t matter, if you come in contact with the head, it would seem like it's a grade one. That's the consistency we're talking about."
Asked if the different interpretations made it confusing for the players, Hasler said: "Are you confused? I am. So it must get confusing for them as well."
"Look they haven't got time to be confused because it's all going in a milli-second."
"I think the NRL needs to stop pushing it sideways and take some control and don't make it quite as independent as it is."
While Hasler is clearly annoyed with the judiciary process, it's the total opposite when it comes to his team that have started the season in good touch with back-to-back wins ahead of this weekend's trip to New Zealand to face the Warriors.
The Bulldogs welcome back Pritchard from suspension and will fancy their chances of picking up a win at Mt Smart Stadium, having won seven of their last nine matches across the ditch.
But typically Hasler was trying to play down his side's chances and unbeaten start to the season but admits they deserve to be at the top of the NRL ladder.
"I don't think in this competition anything should take you by surprise if you're willing to work hard enough and these players have worked really hard," Hasler said of his troops.
"We've started ok, but we still feel we've got a lot to improve on."
"This is probably our first big test against one of the grand finalists from last year."
"They're (Warriors) the most dangerous side with the ball in the competition, they have great individuals and they have that air of uncertainty about them and certainly can score points."
"They'll pose a lot of sides a lot of trouble, I'm just happy we're getting them early."